highlighted keywords - advertising on site

[tommygunner]

I've noticed some sites that have keywords highlighted on their webpages. When you click on them, it takes you to advertiser site. I'm just wondering how they do that? What company provides that service?

[Matt Probert]

You mean which advertising agencies? You can try:

Google Adsense, Linkworth, or Adbrite.

Or you can sell the advertising your self directly.

Matt

[tedster]

...keywords highlighted on their webpages. When you click on them, it takes you to advertiser site

It sounds like one of the many ways that adware (also called spyware, scumware, parasiteware) works. If so, you will not see this effect on every computer, only those who have installed software to create those links (usually installed unknowingly.) Running a clean-up application like AdAware will find and remove these sneaky programs.

We are not going to give publicity to the companies who create this programming and sell advertising through their vehicles - especially because this is the HTML Forum, and also becuase the great majority of the public consider this form of advertising to be very questionable - hence all the applications available to remove the sneaky stuff.

[tommygunner]

I thought it might be spyware, but it doesn't effect every webpage. If you guys load <edited> do you see highlighted words such as "conference, information systems, etc)? I'm using Firefox browser.

[edited by: tedster at 8:54 pm (utc) on Feb. 26, 2005]

[Robin_reala]

No, but I've got Adblock installed which may be killing the JS files such companies use to link in certain keywords.

[tedster]

What you're seeing is IntelliTXT, which does look a lot like spyware. But it is not a parasite program on your computer - it is intentionally served by the website itself. They use a double underline a color change for keywords that advertisers have purchased.

You can tell the difference because these IntelliTXT pop-ups have a little light gray link on the pop-up div that says "what is this?" - which leads you to the explanation when clicked.

We've got about 60 threads on the forums here about that ad delivery technology - see [webmasterworld.com...] for example. Firefox's Adblock will disable it.

[tommygunner]

thanks for the info